After Worlds End
by Torchwood85
Summary: In a flash of green Elizabeth finds herself alone on a deserted beach, the steady thud of Will's still beating heart her only companion save the thought that perhaps, given more than a scant few seconds in the heat of a losing battle, she might have indeed made a different choice. Sparrabeth.


_The Past..._

In a flash of green Elizabeth finds herself alone on a deserted beach, the steady thud of Will's still beating heart her only companion save the thought that perhaps, given more than a scant few seconds in the heat of a losing battle, she might have indeed made a different choice.

She loves Will, true enough. Had done since the moment she'd set eyes on him as they'd pulled his unconscious form from the ocean as a child. Though she couldn't in all honesty claim he was the only man whom her heart had held a torch for. One that had flickered to life the moment she'd been pulled from the ocean and he'd cut her free of more than just her corset and continued to blaze across this world and the next with every witty retort, insult or stolen kiss.

…_it would never have worked out between us…_

…_keep tellin' yeself that darlin'…_

"Pea's in a pod, indeed." She scoffs, eyes defaulting to the empty horizon one last time before she considers the chest still held within her grasp.

"Bugger."

"Yours tis a fate me knows only all too well, gal."

Elizabeth startles only somewhat at the interruption. Tia's familiar dark, fathomless eyes holding an oddly forlorn edge as she steps from the surf to greet her.

"Ta lose all dat ye love to da sea an' da settin' sun."

"It is by your design that I should not see Will until he full-fills his oath to the _Dutchman_." She replies somewhat wryly though there is no venom behind her words.

"The alternative however, was by far a worse fate to bare."

"Aye, an' a steeper debt still te be paid te ye Witty Jack." She murmurs.

In truth the man himself is no more hers than he'd ever been and her heart breaks all the more knowing he is long gone likely never to return.

…_once is quite enough._

"I know."

Elizabeth finds her eyes defaulting once more toward the empty horizon.

"They say if ye love sumtin' set it free," Tia remarks as she comes to stand at her side, "An' free him longs ta be. But what 'im heart wants most in dis world be it's equal. A soul as devoted to 'im as he be to it."

"The only devotion Jack Sparrow knows is to the sea, his precious ship, and himself," Elizabeth murmurs almost absently, "Though not necessarily in that _exact _order."

"Jack Sparrow wouldn't 'ave given up him chance at immortality for jus' anyone."

"He did the right thing because he's a _good_ man."

"Aye, an' what's that get hims in return?" Calypso scoffs, "Nuttin' dat's what. Nuttin' cept used an' trown' away once ye done wit im'."

"I beg your pardon?" Elizabeth feels her heart suddenly constrict at the accusations. "How dare-"

"Ye'd have nuttin' gal if it weren't fo' Jack Sparra!" the Goddess sneers, turning her back in a huff, "Ye'd 'ave been lost ta me lon' ago had hims not risked hims skin to pull ye from da briny deep. Kept ye safe from who knows wha'-"

"Do you think I don't know this?" Elizabeth scowls at the sudden stab of pain in her chest, the hurt still left undealt with rearing its ugly head as she meets Calypso's gaze turned over a bronzed shoulder, "That it doesn't pain me every minute of every day to know that-"

She swallows over the sudden lump in her throat.

"We might have survived but what else have we got, hmmm? Will's condemned to the sea for a likely eternity, I'm stuck here in the middle of nowhere and Jack- well he's gone isn't he. Run away, like he always does-"

"Ye Witty Jack might done gone away ta lick him wounds now but fate will always bring him back to where hims suppose' to be," Tia murmurs, "Te hims, Lizzie-girl."

"Even if I did think those words held any truth it hardly matter now, does it?" Elizabeth utters through clenched teeth, "Besides, I made my vows. For better or worse-"

"-until death do yas part," Calypso offered dryly, "An' ye William be very dead."

"Trust me, I should not find myself in such a conundrum if it were as simple as that." She mutters, regretting it the moment it leaves her lips yet not for all the truth it holds.

"Seems I was always destined to be abandoned by the men I love most in this world. In all honesty even now I'm at a loss as to what I'm supposed to do or where I might go next."

"Yer a pirate, Lizzie Swann, and a King at that." The sea counters.

"One severely lacking a ship, crew or crown," Elizabeth snorts though she cannot refute the deity's claims, "Perhaps if I were to somehow get word to-"

Elizabeth startles as the longboat beside her suddenly sinks into the sand and tilts, the contents of a canvas held beneath the benches spilling across its worn wooden planks and glittering in the light of the setting sun and she gasps at the horde she'd unknowingly rowed ashore.

"What on Earth?"

A small and unassuming piece of parchment suddenly catches her attention amongst the gemstones and she stills, backside dropping to the sand as her eyes burn with tears at the all too familiar red sparrow gracing its surface. His name both a prayer and a curse upon her trembling lips.

"Oh, Jack."

"A good man, indeed," Calypso ventures softly, "Wha's te be done then bout ye Willam's heart?"

Elizabeth follows the Sea's gaze to the chest sat just a distance away in the sand.

"To be honest I've no idea," She admits wearily, "But now that I think on it perhaps you might best keep it safe as I cannot? Hide it away somewhere no man, pirate nor Lord, would ever dare come in search of it again?"

"Young William be loyal an' true an' will keep hims word ta ferry de dead to where dem needs be, to full-fill the _Dutchman's _purpose." With a nod she reverently crouches before the chest, her stained fingers caressing the worn wood, "Because o' dis I will do wha' ye ask of me ta keeps it safe from harm."

Elizabeth almost flinches as the chest suddenly vanishes from sight, the sea's far too ancient and all-knowing gaze locked on her own.

"But in return. I would ask de same o' yeself o' Witty Jack."

"Guard the heart of Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth huffs somewhat incredulously, "To be honest I think you're grossly over-estimating his esteem if you think he'd willing just hand it over to my keeping."

"Jack done entrust it to ye lon' ago," Calypso tutted as if she should have known better, "When ye proved de only woman ta ever stand up an' protect im' from those who'd wish im' harm an' ask nuttin' in return. Even more so de day ye came ta collect im' from de Locker."

"Then he's a fool," Elizabeth hissed, "It was my fault he ended up there to begin with."

"An if ye hadn't loved hims like ye do he'd be there still," She raises a pointed brow, "Tis a potent magic, a bond like no other dat saved Witty Jack from endless torment, gal. The two o' ye so intertwined now tha' not even the fates themselves might tell where ye end and hims begin."

"How?" Elizabeth suddenly finds a spark of hope building within her chest, "Last time I went in search of Jack Sparrow it took me months-"

"An' it will takes ye even longer still," Elizabeth startles as the goddess suddenly vanishes only to reappear at her side a moment later, her palm laid flat against her belly, "Especially now events be in motion dat mus' come te pass no matter how hard dem be on de heart and mind."

"What?"

"Aye," Tia's smile is almost fond as it splits her face and she pulls away, "A babe te bring hope to de lost an' loneliest of souls."

"You know I'd never even considered the possibility," Elizabeth admits, her voice shaking somewhat as she looks to the sea for guidance, "I'm barely able to remember my own mother let alone become one. What do I do?"

"Be what ye was born te be, Lizzie Swann."

"There's nothing left for me in Port Royal," She shakes her head in despair, "Beckett saw to that."

"Jack Sparra wouldn't have brought ye here for nothin' gal."

"No, I suppose not." Elizabeth agrees, brow furrowing as she finally glances about the coastline for the first time since they'd landed the day before. The cliffs above suddenly drawing her eye to the lone building sat upon the bluff. It's glass panelling glistening in the dying light of day and suddenly she knows exactly where she is and finds herself both unfathomably grateful and ever so incredibly annoyed with the pirate captain for his efforts.

"This is my comeuppance for the Kraken now isn't it Jack?" She drawls, gazing up the cliff face with a shake of her head, "Governor's daughter and Pirate King to bloody lighthouse keeper overnight. Oh indeed, how the mighty have fallen."

"Never let it be said Jack Sparra lacks imagination nor good humor." Tia cackles, "After all, there be worse places ye could be, gal."

"Indeed, there are," Elizabeth agrees, turning to drag the long-boat further ashore, "Though rest assured when we meet again my retribution will be swift and decidedly brutal regardless of my feelings for the man."

She turns her attention to the deity stood amongst the wash of the waves with a far more serene expression than she'd ever witnessed upon her timeless face as she pulls on her boots and slings the heavy canvas laden with loot across her shoulders.

"Look, Tia," She begins, pausing as if trying to find the right words, "I realise you didn't have to offer your aid considering-"

"Me debts te Jack 'ave been paid," She replies with a sly shake of her head, "But I'll be watchin' ye keeps ye word, Lizzie Swann."

"You needn't worry then, I'll not forget." She bids the sea her leave as she turns to trudge up the beach towards whatever might await her.

The weight on her back not quite as heavy as her heart in the knowledge that whatever she chooses to do from this point on, she and her unborn child do so alone.


End file.
